PAULINE PALMER | ON THE BEACH (PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS)

Pauline Palmer was a distinguished artist—often cited in her time as the “outstanding woman painter in America.” Palmer exhibited widely throughout her career, including shows at the Paris Salon (by 1903) and at the Naples Exposition of Fine Arts (1911). Palmer's paintings—often portraits of women and girls enjoying leisure activities—are testaments to her impressive talents as an artist, and her fluency in Impressionist techniques. On the Beach (Provincetown, Massachusetts) is a striking example of this illustrative talent and her skill in watercolor.

In this scene, a young woman stands among beached boats near the harbor dock with the town’s bridge in the distance. A pupil of Charles Webster Hawthorne, Palmer’s Impressionist style and subject matter of waterfront leisure scenes painted en plein air are attributable to his influence. Here, the cool blue and purple tones of the serene skyline and open water contribute to the scene’s overall sense of calm and tranquility.